Fact SHEET

Creosote is a dark, sticky substance that is highly flammable shown in- side of this chimney. What can cause a chimney fire? The build-up of creosote along CHIMNEY FIRE PREVENTION the chimney lining walls can fa- cilitate the start of a chimney According to the latest statistics available, there are over 25,000 chimney fire. This build-up is caused by fires per year in the US that are responsible for approximately 125 million the unburned materials in the dollars in property damage. Built up creosote is responsible for many of smoke accumulating along the those fires, along with deficiencies in chimney linings and structures that chimney walls and creating a allow high temperatures, embers and sparks to reach combustible areas that sticky substance that can easily are adjacent to your chimney or fireplace. catch fire. The smoke from the fire contains a substance similar to tar and when the temperatures No one wants to ever experience a chimney fire, or worse yet one that within the chimney are below spreads to the home as many times happens. This is an important issue and 250 degrees Fahrenheit, the sub- there are things that you can do to protect yourself from the chances of a stance will condense along the chimney fire ever affecting your home or your family. chimney surface. When the tem- perature drops below 150 de- Know how to identify the warning signs of a fire raging inside of your grees Fahrenheit, the substance chimney. These fires can be very dramatic, as flames may lap out of the top turns dark, sticky and is highly of your chimney, and a roaring sound could be heard even by your flammable. neighbors. Dark smoke will often billow out of the chimney top and those inside the home may be frightened to hear what sounds like a train or air Quick Tips plane flying close by. These fires are often described as producing a load What are the signs that you are sucking noise, or rattling pipes. Although many chimney fires cause a dis- having a chimney fire? turbance, you may also have a slow burning fire and never know it. These  You will hearing a popping, crack- fires may burn silently, but their silence is no indication of the harm they ling noise throughout your stove- may cause. Slow burning fires burn at incredibly high temperatures and pipe.  Flames can be seen coming out of can cause serious structural damage to the chimney as well as nearby walls the chimney top. of the home. Regardless of how dramatic the blaze sounds, all chimney What should you do? fires can cause substantial damage and mandate damage repair once they  Close the flue, run outside and call are put out. 911. Choose the right fuel. For burning firewood in If the situation is deemed safe and eve- ryone is out of harm’s ways, other ac- wood stoves or fireplaces, choose well-seasoned tions may be taken. wood that has been split for a minimum of six  Take all measures to cut off the months to one year and stored off the ground fire’s air supply. This includes and covered. Never burn garbage, Christmas closing the glass doors in front of trees or treated wood in your fireplace or wood the fire and shutting the damper as stove. well.  Spray down the roof with a garden hose to prevent the fire from Information brought to you by: Environmental Trust Air Quality spreading to other areas of the Program, Kris Ray, Manager at 509-634-2418 or email home. [email protected].